To Nap or Not to Nap?

This is the question we are asking today.

Current thinking is that you should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.  

Why then would you feel tired between 2:00 and 4:00 each day?  When you do get sleepy, should you nap or should you try and power through the rest of the day?

When you wake up early for work or if you have an internal clock that wakes you up, around 2:00 you can feel terribly exhausted.  The cause is post-lunch hypoglycemia and melatonin that is released. Both make you want to nap in a big way.

If you are a working person that can be a problem.  You can’t step away for a quick nap.  What you can do is get up and move a bit.  Change your environment for a short time and shake it off.

If you are a senior and retired, that’s a different story.  The day is yours to make of it what you can and a nap might be just what you need.

When you take a nap, the positives are that it gives you relaxation, you feel less tired and more alert.  You should also be in a better mood.

A caution about some downsides to napping.  You could have sleep inertia and feel groggy when you wake up for the next 35 or so minutes.  You might also interrupt your nighttime sleep finding it difficult to go to sleep or stay asleep.

For those who can nap during the day, what are some tips for napping?

Take short naps, between 20 and 30 minutes

Nap in the early afternoon

Plan naps as a part of your daily routine (if you can fight it, join it!)

We at Private Home Health Care appreciate naps for seniors even if we cannot do it ourselves.  Naps can be very restorative.  Embrace the sleepiness without any guilt and have a restful zzzzz.

Spring Forward

Time can seem to pass very slowly or very quickly.  It all depends on your perspective.

For Private Home Health Care it feels like Daylight Saving Time just began.  Somehow we find ourselves ready to change our clocks again this Sunday.  Where did the time go?

Winter is still with us for a bit longer but this weekend you need to remember to move your clocks ahead one hour just before you go to sleep on Saturday night.

Spring is just around the corner so it’s time for our clocks to spring forward too.  Depending on where you live the new season can feel like it’s coming or still a ways away.

The good news for most is that our phones and digital watches will automatically change.   If you have clocks around the house or are without a cell phone you’ll need to adjust them. 

The idea of daylight savings time actually came about during World War I.  Over the years it spread across the pond to our country.  

After some tweaks in Congress in 1966, 2005 and finally 2007 we landed on our current plan of going back an hour in the fall and moving forward an hour in the spring.  Now we all enjoy more light at this time of year.

If you are a person who does well with more sunlight, you should walk with a little lighter step next week.  You might also start to think about gardens and what flowers to add to gardens.  You might even start some seeds in the house.

Birds in the morning have already started to chirp here in the Northeast which is a sure sign of brighter and warmer days.  

We might not be completely out of the woods for another snow storm but with change in time we can rest assured that it’s only a matter of time if we are patient.

Don’t forget about the time change this Sunday.  You don’t want to be late to church or get togethers!

Photo by Stas Knop

The Season of Lent Begins

Today is Ash Wednesday.  For Christians around the world it begins the season of Lent.

Lent calls for Christians to focus their hearts on repentance and prayer.  This is done over forty days of praying, fasting and almsgiving.

The meaning of Lent does not change year to year but have you ever wondered why the date of Ash Wednesday and Easter varies?  You need to look at the lunar calendar and the spring equinox for the answer.

Easter is always celebrated after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox.  You then count back 46 days, 40 days of fasting minus the six Sundays of Lent which are not part of that fasting.  Ash Wednesday usually begins between February 4 and March 10. 

Today you may see Christians with ashes on their foreheads.  Last year’s palms from Palm Sunday are used to make a cross shape as the words “From dust you came and from dust you will return” are heard.  A solemn message of mortality and sinfulness to begin the season.

Christians have forty days to pray and fast on these messages before the joy of Easter brings sunlight and hope.

Today Private Home Health Care would like to wish our Christian community and friends a very blessed and prayerful Lent.

Photo by Valeria Bottneva

Our Hearing

Hearing is one of our five senses along with sight, smell, taste and touch all important in our daily lives.

You stay connected with people when you listen and hold conversations.  You get enjoyment and learn from watching the news, tv shows, documentaries and movies.  It keeps you on track with wake-up alarms, timers, bells and whistles.

Our lives would be very different if we couldn’t hear.

In our country, there are approximately 15% of Americans over the age of 18 who have trouble hearing. Naturally, as we age, our hearing is one of our senses that changes.  

As we get to be 65 the statistics change to one in 3 people.  Then it’s nearly half of the people over age 75 that can’t hear well.

Your hearing loss can be attributable to exposure to loud noises, changes to your inner ear and even your genes can play a role.

If you do experience hearing loss an appointment with your medical professional is worthwhile.  You can find out your options to help.

If there is still time there are ways you can help to prevent hearing loss.

• Be careful with noise levels especially when using earbuds or headphones or when just watching television.  Keep the volume at reasonable levels.

• If you work in a loud environment use ear plugs and try to take breaks from the noise.

• Stay hydrated, avoid too much salt and eat foods with antioxidants and vitamins.  Get leafy greens into your diet and foods with zinc, magnesium and folic acids.

• Avoid cleaning your ears with cotton swabs.  You can prevent the wax pushing deeper into your ear canal and causing blockage.

Private Home Health Care knows how important hearing is to each of us and how connected it keeps us to each other.  We hope you pay attention to any changes to your hearing and get help when you need it.

Pancakes

 “Pancake.”  Something you cook on a “pan” and is round and “cake-like” thus the name pancake.  A food that is found all around the world and eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Pancakes Started When?

It looks like the pancake has been around for quite a long time.

Pancake-like remains were found in Pompeii in 79AD.  In Africa there is evidence of grinding stones and milling tools and in Scandinavia there are images left of people flipping what look like pancakes.  Talk about a long history!

How Many Types of Pancakes?

Depending where you live a pancake can take different forms.  

In China they had “bings.  

France has two kinds, crepes and galettes if you come from Brittany.

“Scotch” pancakes are a bit smaller and thicker.

And there are more!

Here in the United States

Pancakes have been in our country since around the 17th century thanks to the Dutch.  The Dutch landed in Pennsylvania and New York and started making them.

The Indigenous people also had hotcakes made out of cornmeal which was plentiful.

For Mardi Gras and the beginning of lent and fasting, it was a way of using up eggs, milk and butter.

Private Home Health Care sees pancakes on breakfast menus all over the country.  Thanks to a collective effort and skilled cooks today we have many different pancakes all over the world.

Photo by Ash Craig

Letter to an Elder Day

Private Home Health Care loves this National Day and we like to tell you why.

Seniors for many different reasons can feel lonely at times.  We all get plenty of junk mail and they probably do too.  A handwritten letter received in the mail may sound old-fashioned but it is certain to brighten a senior’s day.  

Jacob Cramer discovered this after the death of his grandfather.  He volunteered at a senior living space to honor him and started playing games with the residents.  He began to notice that many did not get many communications or visits. 

Seeing the loneliness that was prevalent in the community he decided to try and change things.  He started writing letters to different senior communities.  He made so many friends that he wanted to expand his success.

Since 2013, Jacob has a group of 50,000 letter writers that write and send letters to elders all over the world.  Each year he hopes to spread the enthusiasm to companies, classrooms and individuals by having this national day.

Today, if you know of a senior who may be lonely try writing a letter, adding a stamp and mailing it.  Add your return address and see if you get a response.

You already spend a fair amount of time communicating?  Is it by letter or texts and emails? You send greeting cards for birthdays?  That’s great but do you add a letter and is it to an elder?

How about adding to the posse of letter writers that Jacob has?  Find a senior living facility near you.  Get in touch and find a few names of residents so you can personalize them.  Then write a letter or two on a topic or things you think they might enjoy. 

If you know the seniors it should make things easier.  Think of the joy and happiness you would spread. 

Happy connecting with others.

Photo by Ron Lach

Quiet

Have you ever noticed how noisy life can be at times?

Traveling to work with the radio or on a commuter rail with people talking.  Talking at meetings or at school with children.  Shopping with music playing in the mall and in stores.  Listening to music while you work around the house.  When is it ever quiet?

Quiet is something you don’t think about often but don’t underrate it.  Quiet can help you recharge.  It offers time to think and contemplate.  

Prayer and mediation is often associated with quiet but you might also like to try it at different points in your day too.

When you need to make decisions, big or small, some quiet time can help clear your mind.  Peace and clarity may work their way into your mind.

Your emotional and even physical well-being can be helped when you take time to be quiet.  By stepping away from the busyness and noise of everyday life you can find a kind of peace.

Who wouldn’t like a bit of peace?

This week try to set aside some time to be quiet, think and relax.  You may need to close yourself up in a room if you have a young family but you can do it.

For those of you in assisted living, try and spend some time without the television or radio. 

Give yourself time.  You never know what can happen.

Private Home Health Care is busy caring for our clients but we are going to try and take some time to stay quiet.  We hope the quiet will renew us to continue to serve our community with care and dignity.

Photo by Alina Matveycheva

Recognizing Caregivers

It’s National Caregiver Day! Do you know a caregiver to recognize and appreciate today?

It is estimated that there are about 53 million caregivers in our country who help people they know.  This could be family, spouses, friends or neighbors. People you care about.  In many cases the work is unpaid.

Caregiver Statistics

59% of family caregivers are women.  They find it can be more difficult to balance caregiving responsibilities than men.

43% of caregivers are the only one providing the care.  An average of 20 hours per week.

53% of family caregivers also work in full-time jobs. 

Almost half of the caregivers don’t get support, either financial, counseling or respite care.

43% of family caregivers report sleeping difficulty that can cause feelings of depression.

Caregiver Tasks

Tasks can run from simple to more complex.

Simple:  Assistance could be needed to get to medical appointments.

A bit more:  The need can be for help shopping, doing housework or preparing meals.

And a bit more:  Older adults often need care due to mobility issues, illness or old age.

More complex:  medical or nursing needs like medication management.

The bottom line is that there are a lot of caregivers in the United States with varying responsibilities but all of their work is important.

We at Private Home Health Care can help with care.  We realize that the work can be stressful and there comes a time when it becomes too much to manage.

On this day we all appreciate and honor the caregivers that we know. The caring and special kindness offered by caregivers is to be celebrated.

If you are enjoying reading our blogs, please take a look for new ones! visit Home – AAAAA Private Home Health Care AAAAA Private Home Health Care (eldersathome.com)

National Muffin Day

Tomorrow, February 20, is National Muffin Day.

We are sharing this with you today so you have plenty of time to find yourself a muffin to celebrate the day!

The muffin has been around for quite a while.  English muffins were first followed closely by the muffins we know today, blueberry, chocolate chip, cranberry orange to name a few.

Do you know the Muffin man who lives in Drury Lane? That’s a nursery song sung by many over the years.  

It probably started during the 19th century when you would have had men selling muffins door-to-door out in the streets.  Only wealthy people had ovens back then so buying a muffin was a real treat.

Today, muffins are easy to share.  You’ll often find them at a breakfast gathering or offered during a meeting.  

The quest is to find one that is the most delicious.  You won’t have them delivered but you can do some taste testing!

You probably don’t want to have muffins for breakfast every morning, but a splurge now and again and especially on National Muffin Day is a yummy treat.

You’ll also find many recipes for muffins that make them a more healthy choice too.  Eatingwell.com is a great resource to check out. 

Private Home Health Care knows a great place to buy a delicious muffin.  We’ve added it to our list for a treat tomorrow.

President’s Day

Private Home Health Care hopes that you are enjoying this year’s federal holiday!

Today was set aside to celebrate our first United States President, George Washington, but later Abraham Lincoln as well since his birthday is also in February.

Not all states and municipalities celebrate today as a federal holiday but the majority of us should be having a day to ourselves to enjoy thanks to George and Abraham.

On the federal agency level, you won’t get mail and your banking will have to wait since all are closed for the day.  

Many of us consider this a day to honor all of our Presidents. 

How many Presidents have you seen in your lifetime?

There could be very few who remember Warren Harding who left office in 1923.  More may remember the President who hailed from Vermont, Calvin Coolidge.  He was after Harding from 1923-1929.

If you are between ninety-five and one hundred years old you lived through the Presidency of Herbert Hoover and the Great Stock Market crash of 1929.  Franklin Roosevelt was President for what some consider to be the greatest generation who battled in WWII.

Baby boomers remember Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and beyond along with Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z following close behind.

No matter the President you decide to honor today, we hope you can take some time for yourself to relax, have some fun and do whatever suits you.  Enjoy.